The Babysitter(76)

Melissa, who was now sitting on the bed, feeding Evie, to Jade’s annoyance, looked up at her, smiling wanly. ‘Nice idea,’ she said, ‘but Poppy needs bathing. Then there’s her bedtime story.’

‘I’ll see to Poppy.’ Jade smiled warmly, though she could cheerfully strangle the woman for alienating Mark from his children in his own home. He’d have to learn to live without Poppy eventually, but she didn’t want him further upset now, on top of all of this. Jade had tried to convince her that Mark wouldn’t just snatch them, that he’d know how upsetting that would be for Poppy, but still Melissa was wary, insisting on moving the cot into the main bedroom and telling Poppy she could sleep with her because she was feeling lonely with Daddy sleeping downstairs because he wasn’t feeling well.

‘Or… you could let Mark help out,’ she suggested, deciding to try again. If Melissa had decided to ‘fight’, then Jade had to up her game. She had to ensure there was no doubt in Mark’s mind that this woman was a danger to Poppy and Evie. To which end, Jade needed him to be hands-on with the children.

‘No.’ Mel shook her head adamantly as she lifted Evie to her shoulder. ‘If he insists on staying here, he stays on my terms. He’s given up any rights to his happy family life. I still can’t believe he’s done the things he’s done. He ought to be locked up. If only I could prove it.’ Stroking Evie’s back, she pulled her possessively closer, and Jade’s heart constricted inside her.

‘I know,’ Jade said, turning to get her little angel’s cot ready, her face flushing with jealousy and anger as she did. ‘The thing is, though, Mel, it’s Poppy who’s suffering. She doesn’t understand. She misses him.’

Melissa stood, turning to lower Evie into the cot. Jade couldn’t quite read her expression, but suspected she was wavering. ‘Where is he?’ she asked.

‘Out running.’ Trying to run his frustrations off, she knew. He couldn’t hope to, though, when the source of it was under his roof. ‘You’re not on your own with this, Mel,’ she reminded her. ‘You can rely on me to keep an eye on things.’

‘I know.’ Melissa smiled sadly. ‘Okay. I’ll have a bath,’ she relented.

Good, Jade thought. Pity she hadn’t taken her sleeping tablet. With a bit of luck, she might have drowned in it.

‘And make myself beautiful while I’m in there.’ Mel rolled her eyes. ‘Well, presentable, anyway,’ she said self-effacingly, causing Jade to wince. ‘Even though there doesn’t seem to be much point any more.’

Jade moved to give her a hug as the inevitable tears welled up. God, she really was a weak specimen. ‘You’re doing it for you, Mel,’ she said forcefully. ‘For the children.’

Mel nodded. ‘Thanks, Jade,’ she said, smiling gratefully this time. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

‘No problem. That’s what friends are for,’ Jade assured her, squeezing her hand and turning for the door. ‘Indulge and enjoy. I’ll go and extract Poppy from in front of the TV before she gets square eyes.’





Fifty-Three





MARK





‘How are things?’ Lisa asked, when Mark picked up her call.

‘On a scale of one to ten, eleven.’ Coming through the front door, Mark sighed and wiped an arm across his forehead. He’d run until he thought his lungs would give out. He’d thought it would help channel some of his anger and sheer bloody frustration. It hadn’t.

‘That bad, hey?’

‘And some,’ Mark answered honestly. ‘How’re things with you?’

‘Wonderful. I love being in an office with Cummings strutting about like a dog with two dicks. Seems there’s a new lust in his life, poor cow. She’s obviously short-sighted or in serious need of counselling.’

Mark laughed, and then wondered when he’d last done that. ‘Any developments on the Daisy case?’ he asked her seriously. Even with the madness his life had become, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the little girl, to shake the nagging feeling that somehow, somewhere, she was alive.

‘Nothing. It’s gone cold. Looks like the powers that be will be scaling the investigation down. Sorry, Mark,’ Lisa said, dashing his hopes that someone might come forward with fresh information, that one of the team might come up with something in his absence.

Mark’s stomach knotted inside him. He’d let the girl down. He should have been on top of it, he thought, his frustration growing. He should have been on top of what was happening here, too, right under his nose, before it spiralled out of control. Before he lost the woman he’d loved with all of himself. Still loved.

‘Look, Mark, I’ve been meaning to ring you about something else. It might be nothing, but…’

‘Clearly you think it’s something,’ Mark prompted her, tugging his damp T-shirt over his head as he headed for the kitchen for a cold drink.

‘I’ve been doing some digging and—’

But Mark cut her off mid-sentence. ‘I have to go. I’ll call you back,’ he said quickly, abruptly ending the call.

‘Lisa?’ Mel asked him, from where she was standing by the fridge.